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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29616099">On The Outside</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwalker42/pseuds/starwalker42'>starwalker42</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sortis (orig. on FF.Net) [15]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The X-Files</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Jealousy, Kissing, oc is a self insert can you tell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:16:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>824</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29616099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwalker42/pseuds/starwalker42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulder and Scully, through someone else's eyes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fox Mulder/Dana Scully</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sortis (orig. on FF.Net) [15]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On The Outside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is something a little bit different, for a kiss prompt from anon on Tumblr: A hello/good-bye kiss that is given without thinking - where neither person thinks twice about it.</p>
<p>Also I tried to make it obvious but apparently people on Tumblr didn't gather... OC is big gay and has a big gay crush on Scully, because don't we all?)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I hate the basement.</p>
<p>Most people don’t like it down here- they’ve heard the stories, the murders and mysterious visitors, not to mention the fire a few years back- and most of the time we get away with sending an intern or a new agent down here if there’s a file that needs collecting. Everyone in the behavioural analysis unit was happy when we were granted more office space upstairs, if only because it meant we had more room for our old casefiles. Unfortunately, not all of them have made their way up yet.</p>
<p>I wish the only reason I didn’t like the basement was the same as everyone else, but I still don’t know if I believe all those stories. What I <em>do </em>know is that the X-Files office is down here, and that’s Fox Mulder’s office.</p>
<p>I’ve got nothing against the guy. He worked on our unit a while back, back when I was just starting, and he was a great agent. Smart, quick, intuitive, and I think it helped that he was a good looking guy- hell, <em>I </em>developed a bit of a crush on him, which looking back is as funny as it is tragic. After he was reassigned, I hadn’t seen him for years, only heard the rumours about his new caseload. And then one day he showed up in a briefing room, discussing a case I’d worked the profile for, and even though I haven’t been into guys for years I felt a familiar heat come to my cheeks.</p>
<p>It took me a while to realise it wasn’t attraction, but jealousy. He’s got a partner now, you see.</p>
<p>Ever since that day I’ve hated the basement.</p>
<p>As the elevator dings open I hear voices, and I consider riding all the way back up just to avoid them. I’ve only spoken to Agent Scully twice, but both times I’ve managed to look like a complete idiot. I don’t know why. Despite the theories upstairs from the male agents- the ones who find it incredible that a woman could resist sleeping with them- I don’t think she’s gay.</p>
<p>I’m so lost in my thoughts that the doors almost close on me, forcing me to make my decision and squeeze out of the elevator. I hear a laugh that’s definitely Agent Scully’s, coming from the door at the end of the corridor. At least I might be able to avoid them.</p>
<p>I slip into the storage room and begin searching for the files, once again cursing the basement’s lack of organisation. It could take me hours to find these stupid pages, and then they’d probably show up in a box for domestic terrorism cases. And if I have to hear those two next door the whole time-</p>
<p>Their voices, previously muffled by the wall, suddenly rise in volume. They’re coming out of the office. Great. I try not to draw attention to myself, but keep the doorway in sight out of the corner of my eye as I hear footsteps approaching. Scully enters my vision first, and her appearance makes something in my heart clench. Her hair’s a bit shorter than when I last saw her, and she’s a lot healthier looking- cancer, were the rumours upstairs- but it’s the look on her face that takes my breath away. She’s <em>beaming</em>. I don’t know if I’ve even seen her <em>smile</em>. She looks absolutely radiant.</p>
<p>She turns just outside the door, and I turn away because I know who her smile is aimed at already.</p>
<p>“Mulder, Skinner said he wanted me upstairs five minutes ago.”</p>
<p>“If he was desperate he would’ve called by now.”</p>
<p>“You’re not the one who’s got to explain yourself to him.” I glance up, and yep, she’s still smiling. And so is he.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome to use me as an excuse. ‘Sorry, Assistant Director, but Agent Mulder distracted me.”</p>
<p>“Like that won’t raise an eyebrow.” She pokes at his tie. “You know he suspects-”</p>
<p>“He’s suspected for seven years,” he says, and even though I know it’s a joke, it makes my heart ache. “Get going.”</p>
<p>And then she tilts her head up and he leans down and… and they kiss. Right there in front of me. And everything clicks into place. It’s not a friendly kiss, not a joke for prying eyes, not even one filled with passion and need, it’s just… a kiss, pure and simple. They hadn’t even thought about it. <em>They kiss each other goodbye</em>.</p>
<p>They’re in love.</p>
<p>Before I know it, the elevator door pings open and I hear the door to the office down the hall shut. I’m left staring at the doorway to the storage room, and realise I’ve been clenching a file in my hand, so hard that the yellowed paper now has a permanent crease.</p>
<p>It’s not the file I’m looking for. I start on a new box, and try to ignore the tickle of tears behind my eyes.</p>
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